TAMPA, Fla. — A historic park in West Tampa is overdue for a major upgrade and now, changes are on the way.
City development leaders say they already have $2 million set as a placeholder for the estimated costs of renovations for Rey Park Community Center, and on Wednesday a CRA meeting was held to find out how neighbors want the money spent.
Neighbors consider the community center a multi-generational outlet.
“You can hear individuals talking about what this park meant to them when they were growing up,” Joe Robinson, a long-time community leader in West Tampa said. “You never forget where you come from.”
Stories of friendship and community took over the meeting, with neighbors sharing planning ideas as this park gears up for a huge upgrade. Rec leader and Tampa native Rychard Williams wants more improvements for kids who come to the park for things like better WiFi.
“I have so many kids who need WiFi to do homework and our WiFi is hit or miss,” he said. “I would love for us to get a theatre, or maybe a recording studio because we’ve got a lot of kids that just love music…and that could be another avenue to keep them out of trouble.”
From technology to infrastructure, the development team took recommendations of what neighbors of all ages want to see. Robinson wants changes that would make more space for people to enjoy the community center.
“We need bathrooms outdoors so you don’t have to keep running in here,” he said. “And an arts and crafts section.”
Robinson, an engineer, also thinks they could make more use of the space if the HVAC system is put on the roof instead of housing it inside the building.
While there’s a long road ahead, neighbors invested in this community say this renovation will bring back Rey Park as the “diamond of West Tampa.”
“It’s going be a beautiful thing,” Williams said. “Might even shed a couple tears that day when they cut the ribbon.”
There will be another meeting for you to share your thoughts held at the park from 10 am to 11:30 am on Saturday, Nov. 18.